the artistry of Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo
the fabrics
Fortuny Fabrics. Synonymous with Timeless Beauty. Unique works of Art. So visually designed that they have been described as “layered colors of proprietary dyes and patented artisanal application of gold and silver powders”.
images from https://fortuny.com/
the beginnings
“From his early beginnings, Fortuny’s deep curiosity about how things work, what they are made of, and how they become what they are led Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo to approach work through interdisciplinary lenses of art, technology, and science. “
Words like “authentic antiquity” have been used to describe Fortuny’s textile design which were handmade in Venice in 1907. Fortuny is an artist and creator inspired by Venice, Greece, Egypt, Florence, Persia, Asia, South America and the Far East. His work is innovative from transforming history to formulating his own dyes and pigments, all based on historic techniques and practices as well as the influence of his designs.
The Fortuny factory, manufacturing the collaborative work by Mariano Fortuny and his wife Henriette Negrin, is and has always been located on Giudecca Island, a lagoon in Northern Italy since its opening in 1922. It is built on the grounds of an ancient convent. You can visit the gardens and the showroom, but the factory and the weaving process remains secret.
Fortuny was part of a family of renowned artists. He was born in Granada, Spain and lived his formative years in Paris, France and then in Venice, Italy. He began his early work shifting from painting to set design and stage lighting and then to fabric and printed textiles and then back to painting in his retirement. The iconic Delphos plisse silk dress is one of his most famous pieces in his collection and launched his work worldwide.
the iconic fold
image on left from the fortuny.visitmuve.it website; image on right Photo by Brian Bohannon © Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum from this website
image from the Fortuny Blog
to learn more
The Fortuny Museum can be visited in Venice and include printmaking, typography, with presses and etchings. There is a textile laboratory of gowns and fabrics, original matrices for printing and models for pattern cutting and a theatre with wooden stages made by Mariano to experiment with lighting and stage effects.
I have always been inspired by nature, travel, history, fashion, textiles and innovative artwork, and I will continue to be drawn to the work of Fortuny.
